Gloucester School Board holds off on awarding contract

September 10, 2013|By Matt Sabo, msabo@dailypress.com | 757-247-7872

GLOUCESTER — The Gloucester School Board is poised to award a contract of $22 million for construction of the new Page Middle School to Oyster Point Construction, but is waiting to discuss one detail with the Board of Supervisors.

The $22 million to build the school doesn't include an estimated $288,000 cost to "harden" the building to withstand hurricane-force winds that would allow the structure to be used as a community shelter during storm events.

The School Board and Board of Supervisors have a joint meeting Sept. 17 and will discuss whether the supervisors want to fund the extra cost of hardening the building.

The standard building code requires the structure to be built to withstand a burst of wind clocked at 100 mph for three seconds, said Gloucester Schools Construction Manager Scott Shorland. Beefing up the building in the area of the gym, kitchen, adjacent restrooms and hallways would allow it to withstand a three-second burst of wind clocked at 134 mph and sustained winds of 110 mph, he said.

"That's the top end of a category 2 hurricane," Shorland said.

A 750-kilowatt generator that would cost $175,000 and would power fire alarms, lights to guide people out of the building, the intercom and phones is included with the $288,000 cost, Shorland said.

School Board Member Anita Parker asked how many people could be housed in the area of the building that would be hardened.

Shorland responded that he doesn't have the figure, but the occupancy number can be determined based on a square footage and calculating people standing shoulder to shoulder.

The total cost of the Page Middle School project, which includes demolition of the old campus on Route 17, is estimated at $28.9 million, according to figures provided by the school system. The school system has obtained or will obtain through sales of bonds and other proceeds the full $28.9 million, according to school system calculations.

"It's money that's sitting there available to us," said School Board Member Carla Hook. "Not money we're hoping may materialize down the road."